


Light and Noise

by GhostManatee



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Alternate Universe - Circus, F/M, Oral Sex, Porn With Plot, Smut, V/Reader - Freeform, short fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2019-12-26 02:36:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18274073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostManatee/pseuds/GhostManatee
Summary: Despite how flashy your act was, you just couldn't catch the eye of the one person whose attention you wanted most. Of course, your avoidant behavior wasn't any help. Or so you thought.Circus!Au V/Reader 3-parter. Smut is in chapter three.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Nothing much to say, just some shameless self-indulgence inspired partially thanks to SpiritChilde and her amazing fic, Ebony and Ivory. If you haven't read it yet, you should. No smut in the first chapter, but stick around!

Soft music drifted through the dimly-lit circus tent, like something out of a child’s music box. Gradually, the music rose in volume, spotlights blazing to life to illuminate the makeshift stage inside of the stuffy tent. Dust motes fluttered in the bright beams of light, outlining the swirl of color coming to life as a crew of costumed figures converged out of the darkness to take their places in the light. Blues, greens, deep reds and purples, glimmering gold and stark white, a full spectrum paraded across the stage to pose as still as dolls while the lights shifted to focus on a single player.

Donning white and gold, the woman appeared dressed as an angel. Flouncy, feathery wings cast out behind her, the woman began to sing. Her voice suited the attire well, dulcet tones carrying clearly over the stage to enrapture every single member of the audience.

High above the lights and colors, you sat perched and ready to enter the act. From your position, you could see the entire stage and every performer upon it. Smiling down at the almost glowing figure of Kyrie, you had to give her props. She was extremely good at what she did, providing a distraction for the other performers and stagehands to get things into place. The dim tent helped in that regard, the light from the burning spotlights focused entirely on the songstress while you watched two of the color-clad figures move to their starting marks. Dante in red and Nero in deep purple and black, the pair made for a stunning first part of the grand opening. You just had to watch, a careful eye on their movements so you wouldn’t miss your cue.

Below, Kyrie held a note, accompanying music building into a crescendo as the spotlights and music alike suddenly cut out. You closed your eyes, instinctively prepared for them to pop back to life in a few moments. You could hear murmurs of the audience members, whispered confusion at the darkness. In the next moment as those blinding lights flicked back on to show the stage empty save for Dante and Nero, those whispers turned into gasps of awe.

Tightly, you grasped the ropes of the trapeze while you watched the pair below begin their fire-juggling. Live jets of flame traced bright trails in the air while the two men focused intently on tossing the flame-sticks high into the air for the other to catch.

Even from your lofty vantage point, you could see the sharp and feral grins on their faces as the sticks flew high, spinning end over end. They almost soared high enough for you to reach out and try to catch one, but you didn’t dare. Dante and Nero switched spots with a coordinated back-flip. Posed steadily, back to back, each man effortlessly caught a flaming baton and took a bow. Before the audience could even begin to cheer, a loud growl sounded out from backstage. You tensed. It wouldn't be long now.

The fire-jugglers turned to light a vertical hoop ablaze, and you felt your heart begin to race.

As the two stepped off stage, another stepped on. Dark garments made him blend neatly into the shadows before he appeared as if by magic onstage. Now, your attention was truly glued to the stage below, perhaps even more so than the audience. For not only was the end of V’s act your true signal to begin your own, but there wasn’t a moment in the day that you were able to keep your eyes off of him anyway.

Drinking in the details of his gorgeous costume of dark green and black, your gaze was drawn to the lines of his bare shoulders. Greedily did you stare at the tattoos adorning his skin, wishing  you could trace them with your fingers. So too did you want to sink your teeth into the skin of his elegantly long neck, tongue soothing the bites as your lips traced upwards to his jaw and his mouth. You’d die to twist his thick, wavy dark locks between your fingers while you found out just how his tongue tasted…

You shook yourself, willing your mind to focus. Watching the man during his performance always made you feel distracted and sent you to daydreaming, a fact made more agonizing by the truth that yours was a very professional working relationship.

Oh, you had it _bad_ , you’d be willing to admit that to just about anyone but the man himself. But for now you had to pay attention. It was neither the time or place to be letting lustful thoughts take over, especially since you could miss your mark and risk getting yelled at by the ringmaster for ruining the opening.

So you watched as he commanded a huge, sleek panther to jump through the flaming hoop, and, while you were staring, V tossed a glimmering silver ball high into the air. A gust rushed past you, feathers brushing your cheek as the massive Griffon sped past you to snatch the ball right out of the air. You smiled to yourself, checking your safety line one more time as Griffon swooped around to land on the man’s outstretched arm. It was always a wonder how he managed to handle such a large and heavy bird without getting severely slashed by the razor-sharp talons. But that was part of V’s charm, the mysterious and talented beastmaster.

The panther had the easy job. So easily were the crowds awed by the grace of a big cat, and Shadow was as graceful and docile as they came. Watching the trio was absolutely breathtaking every single time. How could anyone really fault you for being so easily distracted?

Luckily, you weren’t so distracted that you missed your cue. Placing one foot on the trapeze, you watched as V beckoned Shadow to run up a steep ramp, throwing a long-stemmed flower for the beast to catch.

But it was you who caught it, the trapeze swinging low as you hung by your feet. You could feel Shadow’s breath on your face for a split second, and then your entire world was that of the air. Exhilaration shot through your limbs when the trapeze arched high and you followed the momentum. You tossed the flower so you could flip yourself upright, hands catching the bar while you sailed. Your section of the opening lasted for a few scant moments, but it felt a bit like eternity. Up here, you were flying. The solo trapeze was an uncommon act, avoided by many due to the dangers of not having a partner to catch you. But you only needed your safety line and your own talents. Nothing could touch you. You felt your body go through your set almost automatically, twisting in midair at the apex of a swing to set yourself spinning before you caught yourself by the feet. To fly, to swing, to exist so high above the crowds and your worries and your obsessions...it was sublime.

Panting for breath as you finished your act, the trapeze lowered thanks to the stagehands and you felt your toes touch ground once more. Adrenaline flooding you, you thought you'd ham it up a bit and gave a dramatic, sweeping bow before jogging offstage. Lady and Trish were next, closing out the opening with knife-throwing and acrobatics before the preliminary performers took the stage. There was a lull between the opening and your actual full performance later, so you opted to take the opportunity to get some water. Besides, it was good to get in some last-minute practice and give yourself a chance for a costume change. The dryness of your throat had you heading for water first. Passing through the hot, crowded backstage area, you had to navigate through carefully. The ground was cluttered, props and costume bits strewn about wherever. Nico would have a fit if she saw the mess, and you did feel a twinge of sympathy for the woman. Keeping a bunch of carnies from killing themselves when you also had to do upkeep for the props and equipment was a thankless job. Like herding cats, really. Maybe you’d come back and clean some of it up, but you needed to quench your thirst for starters. Passing into the night air on the way to the refreshments, you paused for a deep breath. It was a beautiful night, cool but not cold, the stars bright in the sky, and everyone was in high spirits for the night’s performances. It was going to be a good run.

Stopping for a bottle of water, you very nearly tripped over a lounging Shadow, the large panther blending in with the dark of night. Smiling apologetically, you reached out a cautious hand to brush along the cat’s flank. Seeming pleased, the animal gave a gentle rumble and leaned into your touch.

“Sorry about that, Shadow.” You have a laugh. “You blend right in, you know?”

The cat merely gave another rumble and rolled over for more thorough scratches, and you wondered how you’d ever been afraid of the creature. As expected, the panther’s handler wasn’t far, giving himself away with a low chuckle. Lifting your gaze, you saw him seated nearby with his own bottle of water, the front of his costume pulled open to feel the cool night air on his chest. Naturally your gaze was drawn directly to the exposed skin and the lines of his tattoos which trailed there. Face flaming, you desperately tamped down any dirty thoughts before they could begin. Grateful that the dark of night hid most of your features, you gave a little wave in his direction.

“Hey, V. Taking a breather?”

“Yes, it was a bit too hot for Shadow and Griffon, so I thought I’d take advantage of the night air in the interim.”

Gods, you hated how much you automatically reacted to his voice. That smooth, silken tone was one you could feel in your very lungs, notes playing along your ribs while your heartbeat quickened to match the rhythm. Looking up at him, you noted the lazy half-smirk on his face. You wondered if he knew the effect he had on you and did it on purpose, or if V was truly oblivious. It wasn’t as though you were the only one who wanted him. Often, gossip reached your ears from other performers, words that matched your dirty thoughts. Hearing them actually spoken out loud was obnoxious somehow, though, and you prided yourself for at least keeping your own comments to yourself.

Still, you wondered what he might do if he knew about your desires. Would he be annoyed or flattered?

Hells, you were sure half the circus already knew about your fixation, even if you didn’t actually say anything. But you felt torn when it came to letting him know, uncertain if crossing that line was advisable. Because the two of you were the perfect working partners, accentuating one another’s acts at times and good friends to boot. His quiet mystery belied his wicked sense of humor, and his careful and loving treatment of the animals won you over day one. So you just weren’t sure if you should “just go for it” as Lady and Trish and (to your shock) even Kyrie had all told you to. Trying to get his attention on purpose sounded so... _high school locker room_. Petty, and like it could ruin something delicate. You were simply too fond of V to let that happen. Giving Shadow one last pat, you turned to fully face the man.

“I’ll be looking forward to your performance, as always.”

“And I yours,” he answered.

Chuckling to yourself, you realized what a dangerous game you were playing by bantering with him. If you stayed any longer, he’d figure you out in a heartbeat. Besides, you had practice to get to.

“Be seeing you, V.” You dismissed further conversation before it could even begin. Never mind that you were always doing this, staying only long enough to initiate a conversation before your own desires scared you off. It was no wonder he didn't know. You were forever acting flighty, like you couldn't bear to be around the man.

You moved to walk away, unable to see well in the darkness. In the dirt beneath your feet, an unseen hole sat in waiting. In your rush, your gait faltered. Your right foot sank into the hole but your momentum kept carrying you forward. It all happened in a second...There was a loud pop and a sharp tugging sensation, and down you went like a sack of potatoes. A yelp of shock escaped as you fell, and soon you were cradling a clearly injured ankle and screaming in pain. The stabbing sensation surged from heel to knee and you wondered if it was broken. Your screams had V on his feet in a second, and the previously still and silent Griffon started with a squawk and a noisy flap of wings. Shadow seemed agitated too, sitting up with a chuffing noise.

Gritting your teeth and fighting back tears, you tried to stand up on your own but soon found lanky arms looped around your frame to help you.

“G-great...so much for my performance…” you hissed through your teeth.

Not to mention you just _had_ to get hurt in front of him. You could have kicked yourself if you weren’t positive it’d cause you everlasting agony.

“Shh, don’t worry about that. I’ve got you.”

With his support, you were able to hobble on over to the medical tent seeking out Nico. She was there, but occupied with Nero, who was sporting a burn on one arm. The pair looked up at you practically draped over V with your teeth clenched hard.

“Jesus, what the hell happened?” Nico paused in tending to Nero for a moment to give you a look-over.

“A-ah...I…”

“She fell,” V explained for you, easing you down onto a folding chair. “There was a hole in the path and I believe she may have sprained her ankle.”

“Seriously?” Nico’s eyes narrowed as she took a gentle hold of your ankle, turning it carefully and letting out a sharp whistle. You cringed in pain, but also in the expectation of a lecture for not being more careful. “Yup, it's swollen to hell already. I done told the crew to check the grounds for hazards a dozen times! Someone’s gettin’ skinned for this.”

Okay, she was definitely upset, but not at you. That made you feel just a little better.

“Sorry, Nico. I know I’m supposed to be on in twenty…”

“Girlie, don’t you even worry about it. Ain’t like ya got hurt on purpose. Definitely need to rest it even if it ain’t sprained. I’ll let em know you’re sittin' this one out. V, how long til your act?”

“I have time to spare,” he answered evasively. “I can watch over her for a bit.”

For the first time, you noticed just how close he was. Able to feel the warmth of his breath fanning over your neck, you were actually glad your face was already red from the pain. It took every ounce of your self control to keep from letting out a soft whimper at the sensation. It was almost enough to make the pain unnoticeable. 

“That’ll do. Get her some ice and painkillers and keep that foot up. I gotta get mister fancy here patched up in time for his turn.”

At this, you looked up at Nero, managing a laugh through the agony.

“What the hell did you do, try to roast marshmallows midair?”

“Least I didn’t fall on my ass,” he countered, flipping you the bird. You just laughed, knowing it was all in good fun. Besides, it was a good distraction for your single-minded thoughts.

“You’ve got a point...I get all the luck, don’t I?” You waved him off. “Why don’t you go have Kyrie kiss it better for you?”

“Yeah? I could say the same to you. Why don’t you ask V to bend down and suck your--”

Nico smacked him in the back of the head before he could say anymore, so he shut his mouth and didn’t make a fuss while she finished her first aid.

Mortified, you just sat there with your mouth hanging open, a hand covering it. Fortunately, the constant twinges of pain kept you from being too fixated on the commentary or plotting revenge on the young fire-juggler. Nico caught your distress and yanked Nero by the burned arm. Soon she was ushering him out of the tent and leaving you and V behind.

Briefly, you wondered if the animals were alright to be left outside alone, but a rustle of the tent flap signaled their arrival. Shadow came first, plodding right up to your seat and flopping down next to the chair. Griffon was soon to follow, hopping about the tent in curiosity.

V placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder before heading to the other end of the tent for some supplies as commanded. While he was gone, you had to stifle a frustrated groan. You were grateful to him for helping you, but…

“I’m sorry you’re the one who got stuck with me,” you called out.

“Sorry for what exactly?” He returned with a pair of pills, an ice pack, and a glass of water.

“Feels like I’m always causing problems for you.” You managed a laugh as a memory rose, unbidden. “Remember that time the trapeze rope snapped during practice and I almost pulled your pants down trying to catch myself?”

That drew a laugh out of him as well, more of a throaty chuckle that had you smiling genuinely. That particular incident happened over a year ago, about a week after your first meeting. He was standing nearby, the two of you chatting idly while you went through your warm-up routine. It was thanks to a faulty rope that you ended up falling the thankfully short distance to the mats below. Instinct had you reaching for the nearest object to keep from face planting, and that object just so happened to be V. Your landing? Legendary, of course. You’d ended up crashing to your knees, and V had attempted to catch you at the same time you’d tried to catch yourself. The result was your hands around his legs, face dangerously close to his crotch. Naturally, _everyone_   saw. The jokes that followed were enough to have you avoiding the beastmaster for a whole week after, until he brought you a coffee and donuts and convinced you to laugh it off. Since then, you’d had an easy friendship, even if you couldn’t spend an extended period of time around him for fear that you’d ruin it with your selfish wants.

V’s voice broke you out of your thoughts.

“How could I forget? That makes it twice now that you’ve ‘fallen’ for me.”

You chuckled at his terrible joke.

“It’s not my fault I’m always tripping over myself when you’re near,” you countered.

You were just returning as good as you got, but if only he knew just how true your words were. On stage, in the air, in your element, you were poised. But put you in a room alone with the object of your desires? You were a blundering mess. Sighing, you popped the pills and washed them down with half the water. You’d always wanted to have his attention, but not quite like this. Every movement of your act, every twirl and flip and bend of your body was to spark interest, and it certainly did. But high above the stage, you had no idea of knowing if _he_ was watching, let alone enjoying your set, no matter what he said.

It was funny, really, and you knew full well that such desires were almost childish. You berated yourself, pushing such thoughts deep down where they belonged. Soon, your foot was propped up with the ice bag on top of the bum ankle, and V was leaving you alone to your thoughts. Even knowing he had to make ready for his performance, you couldn’t fight the disappointment.

“Thanks again, V. break a leg out there!”

“Interesting choice of words,” he smirked at you.

“I mean... Oh, just get going!” You chortled. “I’ll be cheering you on from here.”

When at last he was gone, you have a deep, guilty sigh and laid an arm dramatically over your eyes.

 _Stupid. I’m so stupid!_ You thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay getting this chapter out! I ended up having to work all weekend so I was just too damn tired to get it done then. Sort of a short one, but we're really picking up steam towards the final chapter now!  
> ...heh. "Steam."  
> Honestly more of a transitional chapter to the grand finale...a little something to "titillate" all of my lovely readers waiting for the smut. But I promise that grand third chapter will be worth it. :)

\----------

Luck was on your side. Your romantic encounter with the dirt had in fact _not_ resulted in a sprain that would take weeks to heal. It was a mere hyper-extension, requiring you to rest for three days and to take it easy for a week. Despite the rather light “sentence,” you felt like you may go mad by day two. Nico was exceptionally strict in insisting that if you should be resting, you were resting. If you tried to walk around and do anything at all, she was there with a folding chair and a lecture. The very first day after your injury was the worst, feeling a bit like a punishment as the brown-haired woman appeared at every turn. Like some sort of trapeze-artist-sensing hound, she forbade you from even thinking about getting back to practice until you were fully healed. You reminded her that that could take _weeks_ , and every day you missed practice was another day you’d push yourself more once you could get back to it. That meant a risk for re-injury on top of how rusty you would feel. Nico only conceded that you could get back to practice after the three day sentence was up if you agreed to take it easy and wear an ankle brace during said sessions. You agreed, but those three days were still pure hell for more reasons than one.

The first and foremost complaint you had was in how damn bored you were. Never the type to enjoy being still for too long, getting forced into sitting down for extended periods of time was like pure torture. Stern looks from the crew and performers kept you seated, but the long hours ticking by with little to do had you feeling like you were about to crawl out of your own skin.

To preserve your sanity, you endeavored to keep your hands busy, turning to pestering people for small tasks you could do while seated. Fortunately for you, most of them were all too eager to shift such tasks to you. With a whole laundry basket full of costumes that needed mending, you had a job that would occupy you until well into the evening. Deft, focused hands evenly stitched the various rips and holes you found in your fellow crewmates’ costumes.

You were rather surprised when V left Shadow and Griffon with you while he went about his own small jobs, not being free from menial labor either despite the fact that he still had performances to do on the nightly. Nevertheless, you appreciated the company of the big, sleek cat and even of the large bird. For their part, they seemed completely content to accept the occasional pat or snack scraps that you snuck to them, thoroughly enjoying the rest they were getting.

V’s tasks carried him to other tents, other parts of the circus grounds, and for that you were grateful,. You wanted to avoid him during recovery, and though it pained you, you’d made a sort of secret promise to yourself. The promise that you’d be less of a nuisance to those around you, and give singular focus to your work as a performer.

It hadn’t been an easy decision to make by any means. But you hated to make trouble for others, and your perpetually distracted mind was a surefire recipe for messing things up both on stage and around others.

 _‘Christ, maybe I just need to get laid?’_ you thought.

Because even being confined to a chair did nothing to quell your vivid imagination, and that was definitely dilemma number two. Often, you’d find your mind wandering and snap away from visions of slightly calloused hands upon your body, belly quivering with unfulfilled desire. Thoughts of where you could sneak off, how you could draw out every gasp and groan from that elegant alabaster throat of his haunted your every waking moment. Worse still, being stuck stationary in a chair meant that V visited often, spending a lot of time around you talking about this or that, or merely reading silently while your fingers placed the tiny precise stitches in your mending work.

You wondered if he felt guilty that you’d fallen while in his company. Or maybe he was just as bored as you were during downtime? Being one with a less physical act, his ‘practice’ sessions were less strenuous and mostly consisted of him playing with Shadow and Griffon.

You smiled to see him genuinely enjoying himself with the animals though. For as long as you’d known him, he seemed like a quiet, thoughtful type, and he’d never been one for particularly energetic antics. It had taken time and a closer look to see the real V, the one with the wicked humor and sharp wit. And during that time, you’d become beyond enamored.

That was how you knew your efforts to avoid him would prove futile in the end, but damn you were stubborn. You’d do your utmost, if only to save your own sanity and act, but you did not miss the look of near-hurt that he wore whenever you came up with a new excuse to go do something elsewhere. You loathed yourself for it, loathed every second of denying yourself and your friendship, but ultimately your plan of avoidance was thwarted before it could truly be put into play.

\-----------

The day you were released from folding-chair confinement was the best day. The moment you were approved for normal activity, you fled for the practice tent as if you were on fire. Itching to get back into the air and make up for lost time, you still kept your promise to Nico and made sure you had a lightweight brace on, as well as intending to keep your practice short.

You began with warm-ups. Balancing on your uninjured foot, you took hold of your shin and raised your leg up behind you, stretching upward as far as you could go. Switching tentatively to the other foot, you were pleased to find that you felt pretty stable. That leg received a good stretch too, and you were just about to start your arm and body stretches when a sharp wolf-whistle had you whipping around in embarrassment. It was Nico, along with V (of course), the former of whom had done the whistling. You rolled your eyes. Always the shameless one, Nico.

“I tell ya it is good seein ya back at it, girlie.”

“You were the one who wanted me sitting for a whole two weeks.” Placing your hands on your hips, you gave the woman a mock glare. She held her hands up in surrender.

“Alright, I admit it, you were right enough. And you kept your promise to take it easy.”

“Did you come to check on me to see if I was going back on my word?” You quirked a brow, rising to take hold of the trapeze. “Just what do you take me for?”

“I mighta come to check on ya, yeah. So sue me. Now that I’m satisfied, I’ll leave ya to it.”

She moved to leave, but seemed to remember something at the last minute.

“Oh, right. Meant to tell ya. Boss wants everyone to spice up their acts for the next show somehow. Figured you’d appreciate the warning. Good luck!”

Great, you thought. Not only did you have to make up for lost time, but now you had to “spice it up?” Was this some kind of punishment for getting hurt? How were you going to do that?

“Well that’s just ass,” you said to yourself.

For a little bit, you merely sat on the trapeze, idly swinging back and forth. Bits and pieces of ideas floated through your head, but nothing stuck, and you completely spaced out on the fact that V was even there until he spoke.

“It is good to see you up and about at last.”

You couldn’t help but be a tiny bit startled, but thankfully you avoided flinching.

“Ah… yeah. Feeling lots better. And it’s about time. Are they uh...twisting your arm about your act too, or did you get off the hook somehow?”

“Not in so many words, but the implication was there. I was actually hoping to run a few ideas by you, if you don’t mind.”

“Hm? Why me? You’re the beastmaster, not me,” you chuckled.

“You and I have worked in conjunction before,” he answered in that smooth tone. “It made sense to at least try.”

You fought valiantly against it, but ultimately your stomach gave an almost painful flip. Despite your efforts to avoid him, for all of your pushing him away, the idea of working with him in your act was enthralling. He was right, you did work well together. Besides, who were you kidding? Avoiding him forever was not only impossible, but it would only hurt the both of you in the long run. Assuming you hadn’t hurt him already…

“What did you have in mind?” You asked at length. “I compliment your act and you compliment mine?”

“More or less,” came V’s answer. “So long as we’re here, why don’t we start on yours? I had an idea, if you’re amenable to it.

“Well, I don’t have any ideas at all, so let’s hear it.”

You weren’t prepared for what happened next, not by a long shot. You had no way of preparing for his almost predatory approach, lazily stepping towards you in a way that reminded you of Shadow, catlike and calculated. He closed the distance quicker than expected, hands grasping the trapeze ropes just above yours. He stared down at you, altogether standing way too close. Your breathing stopped, air caught in your throat. Face automatically flushed, you tensed up. What was happening?

“Why not something like this?” His arm looped around your waist then, and you honestly wondered if you had died or were dreaming. It took an eternity to unstick your tongue from the roof of your mouth, and when you finally did the embarrassment made you sound almost accusatory.

“What are you doing?”

He pulled back a bit, just enough to give you some breathing room.

“You’re still injured. That much is a given. If you go all out on your first night back, you’ll only aggravate it.”

“That doesn’t explain what this has to do with that,” you aid, hating how harsh you really sounded. You felt trapped there on the trapeze, stomach turning to jelly, V’s body heat all too close.

“Of course, my apologies. It’s rather presumptuous of me to skip the explanations, isn’t it? I merely  mean that you could recruit a partner for the first half of your act to...titillate the audience, so to speak. Playing a sort of character in a play, and leaving the audience to draw conclusions about that character.”

This gave you pause as you put aside your body’s natural reaction to actually consider his words. It was quite true that you needed to be careful. Your usual full routine was rather energetic and fast-paced. You doubted your recently-injured ankle could handle the usual number of foot and rope catches. If you tried that, you’d be aching by the end of the night. Spending half of the act near the ground ran the risk of boring onlookers, but if you added something to it, it would work out just fine. And, you had to admit, the idea of acting like that with V at your side was...irresistible.

Tilting your head and shrugging your shoulders at him, you did your best to play it cool.

“Helping me out could interfere with your act,” you pointed out.

“Not this time,” he answered, his silken voice sounding almost smug. “I’ve been scheduled for earlier in the evening so I’m more than willing to help you. Unless, of course, you aren’t a fan of the idea.”

“I…” You’d be lying if you said no. you’d be a fool, too. “I’m not strictly opposed, but what’s the character angle here? Why titillation?”

V finally let go of the ropes, opting to walk around you in a circle. You could not help but feel like he was appraising you somehow.

“A trickster, perhaps,” Came his slowly drawled answer. “Chasing after a nymph who cannot decide if she wants him or not. She plays a game that confounds and enthralls him all at once, before ascending to the heavens beyond his reach.”

Still completely frozen, his words made you stare after him. It felt, in every respect, that he knew exactly what he was doing in choosing those words. He was trying to get a reaction out of you, it was fairly clear. He couldn’t possible know, could he?

You refused to acknowledge him, wouldn’t give up the ghost unless he outright cornered you. Though, given your actual physical position seated on the trapeze with him circling like a shark, you weren’t too far off from that.

“That’s um..an interesting idea.” The temptation to do as you always did and deflect was strong, and if you treated this as seriously as possible without taking the bait, maybe he’d let it go. “What’s his motivation for chasing her if he knows she’s cruel?”

“Well, the trickster is a fickle being, looking for that which will entertain him most.” As he spoke, V gently took hold of your uninjured leg, pulling you forward along with the trapeze. “The nymph’s uncertainty of her desires is one of the trickster’s favorite games. Push and pull, cat and mouse. He chases her purely for the sport of the chase.”

He let go of you, after giving you a push that set the trapeze ropes twining together and spinning you around. The momentum as it untwisted sent you right back towards him. Using a single foot, you stopped your swinging by placing it on V’s chest. Eyes wide, you felt his fingers trail up your ankle, calf, and the lowest part of your thigh.

 _An act,_ you reminded yourself, trying not to show just how much it affected you. You really had spent too long sitting idle for your imagination to be running so wild that you wondered if it was now conjuring full, vivid hallucinations. But the cunning beastmaster smirked, full mouth curling upwards in the most sardonic smile you’d ever seen.

“Tell me, why is it, do you think, that the nymph runs about so?”

“I…” Your mouth was dry, dry as sandpaper. Words, thoughts, comprehension… all of it was difficult. With some struggle, you managed.

“Maybe the nymph is afraid of her desires for the trickster,” you said at last. “Maybe they feel inappropriate for her or she fears that the trickster will become bored with her if she voices them.”  

V had your leg once more, preventing you from pushing yourself away. Your shock increased tenfold when he used his hold to pull you even closer and grasp your other leg as well, effectively trapping your thighs on either side of his waist. It took everything not to squirm, lest you feel his body against yours. By now, you were positive. He definitely knew. He knew _exactly_ what he was doing, he saw every single effect his actions had. This wasn’t about your act anymore. 

“Ahh, but she should know by now that all she has to do is ask, and the trickster will give her exactly what she wants. For the trickster is waiting for the ultimate end to the game.”

A whimper escaped you before you could do anything about it. Attempts to wriggle away were ultimately thwarted; he was stronger than he appeared. Lips close to your ear, he brushed aside a few stray strands of your hair before speaking.

“Are you running away again, little nymph?”

Mouth open in shock, your tongue darted out to wet your lips. Was this real? Was this actually, really, truly happening? Or was he merely toying with you for the sake of this hypothetical act?

No… the look on his face told you this was no joke. His close proximity, the hands on your thighs, his hot breath mingling with yours… Were it not for the ever so slight twinge of pain in your ankle, a reminder of that ridiculous injury, you’d really think it was a dream. One you’d give anything to keep from waking from. And you would have stayed that way, tension growing more and more palpable, like a thread waiting to snap, were it not for Nero shouting for V.

“Yo, V! Where the hell are you?”

You had little room to wonder at why Nero was calling for him, still feeling frozen or moving in slow motion, flustered beyond belief. V audibly sighed, but before he let you go, you felt his thumb stroke over your lower lip.

“We are far from finished with this conversation yet. Don’t go far. I’ll be returning before you know it.”

Finally, he let go of you, sending the trapeze swinging. It was at that moment that Nero rounded the corner, but if he noticed your flustered state he said nothing of it. In fact he didn’t seem to notice you at all, instead bitching at V about something as they both exited the tent. When they were both out of sight, you all but flopped off of the trapeze onto the mats below. Once reality settled in and you were able to accept that you had not lost your mind, a sensation of calm settled over you. Acceptance. Liberation.

It all seemed so senseless now, your previous attempts to avoid him. He had probably always known about your real feelings, your desire. A new sort of resolve flooded your frame, and you smiled a bit.

A game of titillation, hm?

Well, you simply had no choice but to play along.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long awaited smut chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! Sorry to keep you all waiting so long for this chapter. I hurt the wrist of my dominant hand a couple weeks ago and while it was fine for a few days, the pain came back with a vengeance and I found out I sprained it, so I had to rest it for a good while! That said, I was chipping away at this chapter by hand in a notebook until I could use a keyboard again. Nothing much left to say, so enjoy the filth, you heathens.

There was a distinctly surreal feeling when V walked out with Nero. Distantly, your gaze journeyed upward to where the trapeze ropes stretched high towards the top of the tent. At the top was a hole, and through that hole you could feel the cool drip of a thunderstorm looming outside. You had not been beyond the tents that day, so you didn’t know if it had been pending all day, or if it had arrived suddenly. Regardless, thunderstorms were always something of an omen. Whether a positive omen or a negative one, you couldn’t be sure, but the show must go on regardless.

No excuses. No running this time.

Your newly-found confidence faltered just a little as you considered how exactly you were to go about matching and challenging V’s teasing. Anything you came up with in your head seemed...cheesy and forced.

An act? You were really only good at “acting’ on stage. But perhaps that was it. After all, the man himself had given you an answer. Might as well roll with it. You considered how best to implement that role, and ultimately decided there was no better way than to act it out, partner or no partner.

Keeping your hands on the trapeze, you began with a low sweeping motion, lower body dragging gently over the mats. Letting go, you laid yourself flat on the floor and arched your back high, using your toes to lift your body high. A slow roll to the side preceded you standing up and beckoning to an imaginary audience before running at the trapeze and hooking your arms around the ropes.

Low, lazy swings of the object were perfect for this, perfect for curling your body and draping yourself over the bar before flipping upside-down with the crooks of your knees holding on. It was hard to get the right momentum hanging so low (your fingertips nearly skimmed the mat), at least for flips and the like. Instead, you let your legs shift so that you were holding the ropes with your ankles, palms flat against the floor. Caught in a precarious pose, this would be where your partner would come in, slowing guiding you down one leg at a time. Almost unbidden, the sensation of V’s hands on your thighs returned.

Your face burned bright, but you viciously tamped down your impulses. Now was _not_ the time to be getting shy. Hadn’t you already made up your mind?

You stood again and twined the ropes about your arms, hooked in like a yoke. Kicking off the ground, you tucked your legs up to spin around and around. The tent around you became a blur and you could feel your hair whipping across your face. Finally coming to a stop, you detangled yourself and perched seated once more on the trapeze bar.

 _‘Now what?’_ you thought.

It seemed you were to play the waiting game. Fifteen minutes turned into a half hour, and a half hour turned into an hour. After so much time without hearing from V, you figured it was time to give up. Fighting the deep, roiling disappointment you felt in the pit of your stomach, you gathered your belongings and made to head home. You had thought he’d make good on his word and return, but wherever Nero had taken him was eating up a lot more time than you expected. Either that, or you’d been stood up, though it hadn’t felt like a setup for such a thing.

Oh well. It was pointless to think about it. Might as well go home and forget.

You headed to the dressing room to retrieve your keys, a harsh, gnawing, almost anxious level of let-down churning away. To banish it, you began humming to yourself. Don’t think about it anymore. It had sounded too good to be true from the start.

What you were not expecting to find there in the dressing room was the very man in question. Stripped down to only a pair of tight-fitting pants, his hair looked a bit damp, as if he’d just come from a shower. Faced away from you, V was drying off his torso with a small towel. You could see every detail of those tattoos now, how intricately the lines intertwined on his back, how they stretched and trailed beneath the waistband of his pants. You had come here for your keys--they sat on a dressing table just behind the man--but they were completely forgotten, trivial in the face of such enthralling beauty.

Completely entranced, one of your hands came up as if to cover your mouth, but instead you merely rested a fingertip on your lower lip. Any disappointment you had felt dissolved. Seeing this had been more than worth it, and you honestly didn’t even wonder anymore at what had kept him away so long.

You wondered how long you stayed frozen like that, tracing the lines of his back with your hungry gaze, appreciating his slender, lithe form. How easily you could pin him down, the strength from your daily practice granting you an advantage. How utterly delicious it would be to have him trembling and weak beneath you.

Torn from your fantasy like a sheet of paper on the wind, you watched as V turned towards you in what felt like slow motion. He looked almost surprised to see you, like he’d forgotten all about his promise to “continue your conversation.” You couldn’t help a sneer. He’d forgotten, had he? You casually put your hands on your hips as he locked eyes on you.

“(Y/N), you’re still here?”

Something within you positively growled at that. He’d left you waiting, only to forget?

Payback, you realized. This had to be some form of payback for doing the same to him over and over again, for giving him the hot and cold treatment. Well, that was all to come to an end, here and now.

Any lingering doubt about your next course of action vanished on swift wings. Emboldened and vengeful in your own right, you approached him slowly.

“Yes, still here. Still waiting. I know now why the trickster chases the nymph so.”

When had your voice taken on such a husky quality? Regardless, you continued, steadily approaching him step by step until you were face to face.

V was silent, a self-satisfied curve to his lips that nearly infuriated you. Ah, so you were right. He knew exactly what he was doing. But you kept calm, raising one hand to mirror his earlier gesture. Fingertips clutching his chin, thumb brushing over his lips, you felt a shiver run through your body that belied your calm exterior.

“How delectable it is,” you said, angling his face down to look at you. “How intoxicating, their little game…”

You let go of him, giving his cheek a pat as you walked past him to pick up your keys. Already, you could sense he would take the bait.

You did not have to wait long. Before your fingers could even begin to close around the keys, before your body had finished turning away from his, you felt him move behind you. A hitch of your breathing further betrayed your true state, blood pumping hard in your veins. V’s hands settled on either side of you, palms flat on the table, caging you in. Your skin tingled at his closeness, at his hot breath fanning over your ear. Willing your breath to remain steady was futile, coming in sharp inhales to match the dance of your too-loud heart. Your fingers brushed over the keys, and his lips brushed your ear.

“Are you done running then, little nymph?”

Slowly, you turned in the cage of his arms, table against your back. The two of you were so, so close, all it would take was a twitch to kiss him. Well aware of how compromising your position was, you found yourself grateful for the fairly late hour. The likelihood of encountering anyone else was slim at this point.

The paper-thin barrier you’d put up between the two of you was so close now to being torn asunder. Feeling bold, you tipped your head upward, lips a mere hair’s breadth from his.

“There’s nowhere left to run to,” you whispered, and you could practically feel his lips lift into a smirk. Ah, he thought he’d won, did he?

As casually as you could manage, you disengaged from him, brushing past him and giving a long, exaggerated stretch. Carrying forth with that exaggerated coyness, you peered slowly over your shoulder, stunned by what you saw. V had his head low, hair curtaining his face, framing his dark, deep green eyes. His lips were parted slightly, and he was staring after you with a burning hunger.

Unable to suppress a visual shudder, you continued on your way regardless, back to the practice area.

“Come on, I’ll show you the routine I came up with.”

You could swear your heard a noise of frustration coming from the man behind you, and found yourself unable to resist a soft chuckle. Regardless, you didn’t need to look to know he was following.

The trip back to the practice area felt like it took an eternity, the heat of V’s gaze boring into your back. You could feel the tension in the air between you, that long-awaited snap mere days away, you imagined. The thread would only pull tighter between then and now. That was your expectation, anyhow.

You would go through the routine again, show him every stretch and bend of your body and entice him in to touch at you again. He would know you were teasing him, know you were attempting to get a rise out of him. Then you would turn it all around on him, corner the beastmaster and mercilessly prod at him until your name would leave his mouth in a frustrated growl. At least, that was what you’d planned.

What you had _not_ planned on was being cornered, caged in once more as soon as you had your hands on the ropes of the trapeze.

His long-fingered hands closed over yours, clutched like elegant talons and trapping you there. Daring to meet his gaze, you saw then that his lips had formed a smirk, mouth slanting and eyes gone dark. You let out a little gasp of shock, and he yanked you forward until you could feel his breath tickling your ear. How many times today had you been in this very position?

“Well, well...I do wonder what you’re going to do now? You claim to have no desire to run anymore, but I can feel you shaking.”

It was true. Even beneath his grasp, your fingers quaked as though you were freezing cold. Nerves? Exhilaration? You honestly couldn’t tell.

“You certainly chose a strange method of trying to get my attention...You had no idea at all, did you? That you've had my attention since the very beginning.”

He couldn’t possibly be telling the truth, could he? No, this must all be a part of some elaborate ruse, some sadistic form of payback since you actually had confessed to your desires for him (though perhaps not using so many words). Nothing V had ever said or done before had conveyed any sort of notice or interest before...had it?

_‘This would be twice now that you’ve ‘fallen’ for me.’_

His words from three days prior returned to you in full force, and with a  jolt you realized he’d been actually flirting. There were other times, other one-liners that you’d brushed aside as friendly banter over the last few months. How could you have been so oblivious?

Apparently you really were that convinced that your attraction was a poison. Trapped as you were now, you could not help but feel the depth of your own stupidity.

“I...never noticed,” you admitted, answered with a chuckle.

“Indeed not. But how could I not pay attention to you? The way your body bends over the trapeze…”

One hand still clutched over yours, V let the other trail down over your arm, over your shoulder, trace the curve of your ribcage to the dip of your waist.

“Only a fool would fail to notice,” he continued, his grip settling on your hip. “And only a blind man would be spared from envy watching your flight. How I have longed for you to be cast down from your lofty perch, only to catch you in my own arms?

You couldn’t stop a long, dreamy sigh. Poetry. Pure poetry flowed from the man’s lips. It was so cheesy, so cliche, and yet you drank it up like the finest wine. It was just another part of his allure, and you could at least admit to yourself that you’d imagined that silken voice whispering darker, dirtier things for you and you alone.

Again you sighed, reaching out with your free hand to finally, finally thread your fingers into his dark, thick locks.

“I’ve been such an idiot,” you whispered, eyes half-lidded. “I deluded myself into thinking I...would ruin our friendship. I thought having you in my life in any way at all was enough, it just had to be...But…”

The facade had fully dropped now, you realized. You’d wanted something like this for so, so long, and now that it was before you, and you’d accepted its reality (even if it did feel surreal), it would be wasteful to play anymore games. This might be your only chance to embrace your honesty, lest the moment pass you by.

“But?” V prompted, letting your other hand go so that he might cup your chin.

“...but I want you, V. I’ve wanted you for along time, I was just too stubborn to admit it, thinking I’d scare you off.”

Your voice was no louder than a whisper, and your heart threatened to beat right up out of your throat, to be expelled at his feet. You were terrified, in danger of breaking from the thought alone that someone had put him up to this. Almost too scared to look him in the eye.

“I just... _want_ you,” you repeated. “Please, please want me too. Don’t say this is a jo--”

Before you could finish the sentence, before those doubts could take root, his lips captured hours, and his hips pressed against you flush between your thighs.

Oh…

 _Oh_.

There pressed against you was the evidence that he shared your sentiment, and if this _was_ a joke, it sure as hell was elaborate. The kiss was far from chaste, V’s lips and tongue conveying everything his words could not. Instantly, his tongue sought yours, pushing demandingly into your mouth to tangle and prod. There was something about kissing that always did you in, and V’s was particularly potent. He seemed to be lacking in finesse, consumed with need more than anything, a ravenous hunger in his bruising lips and a promise to devour you whole.

When you pulled apart, he rested his forehead against yours, chuckling.

“If only you knew how much I do. Indeed, I was so focused on such that I was clumsy while aiding Nero earlier. That was what kept me so delayed from my return.”

He was hurt? You hadn’t noticed any bandaging when he was changing a minute ago, but looking down at him now you could clearly see some bruising blossoming along his ribcage on the right side. Your eyebrows shot up in alarm, and he spoke before you could even open your mouth to ask.

“He needed help moving some equipment, a few ladders included. What you see here is the result of thinking a little too hard about burying my face between those lovely thighs of yours while you were right here on this very trapeze…”

You shuddered hard, the imagery that he summoned proving to be potent indeed. Gods, breathing was starting to hurt now. V grinned wryly.

“Nero ever so gracefully turned a corner without warning me, and my end fell to the ground to serve as a perfect tripping object…”

You couldn’t help it, a peal of laughter ripping itself from you before you could stop it. You weren’t glad he’d been hurt, glad it was nothing serious, but it was kind of funny. V tilted his head ever so slightly, still smiling.  
“Oh, you think it’s funny, do you?”

“It _is_ kind of funny,” you admitted. “But it’s more..we really are birds of a feather, aren’t we? I sprained my ankle because I was in a hurry to get away from you.”

It felt...liberating to admit it at long last, even if there was still a bit of guilt.

“I was afraid that if I’d stayed, you'd see right through me. Or that I’d lose any sense of decorum and sit myself in your lap…”

His smile turned into more of a sneer, and he ground himself against you, reminding you exactly where you both were.

“I wish you would have,” he whispered. “We could have ended this charade so much sooner.”

Though his words filled you with elation, you couldn’t fight the sliver of apprehension that stubbornly wormed its way back in. Though your heart was pounding like the wings of a hummingbird, you still frowned, even as your forehead rested with his. You were willing to give him everything you had, but you first had to be rid of every last shred, every last dreg of negativity in your gut.

“We _are_ friends, aren’t we? We aren’t...in danger of losing that, are we?”

“Of course we’re friends. Indeed, I count myself lucky to have someone as dear as you. But, my dear, haven’t you heard? It’s friends that make the very best lovers.”

That was it then, huh? There really weren’t any other avenues you could possibly explore for excuses as to why you couldn’t cross that line.

He stood away from you for a moment, and in that moment you were given, you were stricken by just how _tall_ he was. V was so slender that it was a little hard to notice his height from just a glance. Lithe and lanky, you knew his sleek form belied his true strength. Before you could truly appreciate the grace of his form, he knelt before you, taking your previously injured ankle in hand.

“Allow me to atone for causing you such lasting pain.”

You simultaneously cursed and cheered your decision to practice in shorts when V began kissing his way up your leg in slow, lingering passes of his lips. His mouth rested first on the ankle itself, the heat of his breath making you shudder. Next was the inside of your knee, and you heard him give an appreciative hum while he lavished his attentions upon your skin. Your inner thigh game next, and by now he was so close to your core that you couldn’t help but squirm. He held fast, and between his parted lips came his tongue. With an involuntary whimper, your hands shot out to clench upon your lap. It was only V standing and guiding your hands back to the ropes which kept you from sliding off the trapeze. He chuckled sardonically, hands roaming all over your legs until they came to rest at the waistband of your shorts.

“Why so nervous, my dove? I promise you’ll come to no harm at my hands...but you _will_ come undone at my hands.”

“A-anyone could walk in and--”  
“See us?” he purred. “Oh, yes. They certainly could. But..isn’t such a possibility thrilling? That Nero, or Trish, or Nico could walk in here and see me devouring you...It’s a fitting punishment for how long you’ve made me wait, is it not?”

Wordless, completely robbed of speech or logical though, you could only stare at him open-mouthed. Your chest rose and fell rapidly, and when you felt the warmth of his fingers upon your belly, you let out a squeak. Swiftly, he tugged down your shorts, sliding them down your legs and taking your panties with them. Now bared to him from the waist down, your face flamed red. What a turn the night had taken…

You could hardly bring yourself to look at him, embarrassed to be so exposed. You were stiff as a board, but his hands gently pried your knees apart, fingers of his right hand carefully stroking over your sex once.

“Look at me.”

HIs voice was soft, lacking in harshness at all, but it still had a commanding power that had you slowly opening your eyes and turning your head to face him.

At least he didn’t look any better off than you did. He was sweating, chest rising and falling with each hard breath. Gaze drifting downward, you could see the muscles of his abdomen clenched hard, as if he was doing all he could to keep himself under control. The entire world narrowed in, just you and V in it. The tent around you didn’t matter, and all of your previous fears didn’t matter.

Now bereft of anything at all to hide from him, you whispered his name as he fell to his knees before you. Your thighs were spread wide, held there by his body between them. No words were necessary at this point, and now that you were looking you found yourself unable to tear your gaze away.

“So wet for me already, my dove. And here I’ve hardly even touched you…”

He wasn’t wrong. Hardly more than a kiss, and his touch along your thighs, and you were already burning, consumed by anticipation. How eager your body was for him, how hungry for his touch. Your half-lidded gaze settled heavily upon him, just in time to see him spread the lips of your sex apart, his tongue sweeping languidly over your clit.

The sharp gasp that escaped your mouth was startling, ut V did not stop. Instead, he glanced up at you, his deep green eyes boring into you, and smirked as his lips instead moved to your inner thighs once more to lavish them with attention.

“Don’t...don’t tease…” you pleaded, answered only by his throaty chuckle. “H-haven’t we both wanted this for long enough?”

That gave him pause, hands clutching at your thighs.

“Hm. Right you are. How many nights have I dreamed of doing this very thing?”

“To taste you..” His long, long, slender fingers stroked over your wet folds.

“To hear you whimpering, crying out my name while I devour you.”

With that, he set to task. The flat of his tongue lapped over your wanting opening, tip just dipping inside before sweeping up, and his lips closed around your clit. Those fingers of his teased along your slit, sliding up and down until at last V let one punge inside you.

Your mouth opened and closed, forming the shapes of words that were silenced by the cries escaping you in their stead. But he seemed to get the picture, a second finger thrusting into you in tandem with his mouth’s workings. You tried, oh how you tried to stay quiet. But between the sight of his lithe body between your legs and the suffocating pleasure at your core, focus and silence became foreigners.

Gasping, whimpering, thrashing around, you could do little but enjoy the treatment, relish in him conducting your body in a lewd symphony.

Each sweep of his tongue, each thrust of his fingers, each hum of approval at your taste was maddening. Holding tight to the trapeze with one hand, the other reached out to bury itself in his thick inky hair. Feeling you, V threw your legs over his shoulders to bury his head further between them.

Oh, _god_.

That let his fingers stroke even deeper, brushing a spot inside of you that had you moaning louder than before. You were drowning, head spinning in a haze of lust. No longer did you have any care if you were caught. In fact, let them see, let them observe the two of you caught up in one another.

You wanted more, wanted to feel him deep inside of you. The intense pressure between your legs was becoming overwhelming, heat winding up, lancing through your very veins. You tugged at V’s hair, and he let out a loud groan.

Oh, he’d enjoyed that?

Indeed, that only seemed to spur him on more, gripping you tighter. But that wasn’t what you wanted, wasn't how you desired things to come to an an end. He hadn’t taken the hint at all. Though you didn’t trust your own ability to speak, you had to try.

“V…” His name sounded like a desperate plea from your lips, your intent hidden by the thickness and breathiness of your voice. “V, stop…”

He did, but only long enough to stare up at you, only long enough to pull his fingers from you and lick them clean deliberately.

How he relished in your shocked moan at his actions. How he craved more and more, hellbent on drawing every little noise out of you until you crumbled to dust. You were a delectable treat, your surrender the sweetest thing he’d ever tasted. He knew exactly what you wanted, but he wasn’t about to let you off the hook so easily. Not after so many nights spent wondering at your true feelings, if his perception was right or if he was going insane. It sure felt like he was, the all-consuming desire for you haunting even his sleep. He would make you pay for leading him on. He would make you pay _oh_ so sweetly.

His mouth was on you again, but this time you felt his tongue prodding at your entrance. Squirming, you looked down at him, the indignity of your expression melting at the sight of his hungry gaze.

He wasn’t going to stop, you realized. He wasn’t going to stop, and there wasn’t a damn thing you could do about it. You could only hope to hold on for dear life while his skillful tongue worked you closer and closer to the brink, his hands gripping your thighs almost painfully. When he finally stopped it was only for a moment, only long enough to murmur your name.

That very act was what made you come undone, spine arching so hard you fear your body would snap in two. You panted out his name again and again and again, your inner walls clenching and unclenching, fluttering and spasming.

Fearful it would end there, that the dream would shatter and he would leave, you reached for him. But he was already there, already standing to crush his lips to yours, to have you sample your own flavor from his mouth. In the midst of your throes of ecstasy, you hardly noticed him undoing his pants, hardly noticed until he’d already lined himself up with your entrance and slid himself deep, filling the hungry emptiness left by his fingers.

You weren’t worried--you were quite safe thanks to your birth control, but you were shocked by his sudden action. Breathing hard, you looked down to where your bodies joined. So, this was truly happening. You were not merely floating through a dream you dreaded waking from. But gone was any gentleness, either. V held your legs up, breath ragged as he guided you to wrap them loosely around his waist.

He was surprising you with his boldness, his control, his aggression. You had thought you would be the one to make the first move, but…

He wanted to show you just how much he truly had desired you.

“Ahh,” he groaned. “That’s much better now, isn’t it my dove?”

There was no answer for him, not one with words. Instead, you answered with your body, hips thrusting forward to meet him even as you held onto the trapeze with all your might. Resting his forehead with yours, he set a feverish pace that you couldn’t hope to match. Feeling the spires of his hip bones digging into you with each thrust, you knew you’d have bruises later. That knowledge was absolutely thrilling, knowing you’d bear the marks of this coupling as proof, and you rolled your hips to take him even deeper.

Desperate, throaty sounds of pleasure escaped both of you, neither of you caring about noise anymore. Between your vocalizations and the slap of flesh on flesh, it was far from a secret what the two of you were up to.

Legs shaking, you let go of the ropes. One arm wrapped around V to help support your weight, the other snaking downward between your bodies. Your fingers sought out the spot where your bodies joined, feeling the slick glide of his cock in and out.

“Ohhh, gods…”

Your fingers got to work on your clit, while your other hand traced over the designs inked across his heated flesh.

He wanted to keep you just like that, and for a while, V managed. But he was no strongman, and the particular position you were in was already tricky without you loosening your grip. His legs were shaking, and before long he pushed you down with a light grunt. Your back hit the practice mats, but not for a moment did you separate. And like this, he could truly appreciate the beauty of your body beneath him.

His ministrations slowed as he kissed you, slow and tender, adding some intimacy into the intensity. You positively melted, lost in a storm of physical sensation and mental euphoria. So, this wouldn’t be a one-off occurrence. This was not merely you both working out some long-standing tensions. There was something more, something sweet and tangible and meaningful. In that moment, you worked up the courage to sit yourself up, gently push V backwards, and crawl on top of him.

Now able to see him the same way he’d seen you, stretched out beneath you in a feast for your eyes, you paused to drink in the vision that was the man before you.

Your greedy hands skimmed across his shoulders, surprisingly broad considering the rest of his frame. Like this, at last, you could indulge in one of your longest-standing desires, leaning down to let your tongue trace over the stunningly complex tattooing on his chest. He watched you all the while, drinking in your lust and satisfaction like it was a rare and indulgent treat.

There would be more time to savor one another later, time to memorize the map of his skin and the pattern of his breath. For the moment, your bodily needs were winning out.

Lining yourself up, you took him inside once more. So sensitive already, you felt even more like you were going to drown. But if you were to fall, you would take him with you.

Like this, he was so, so deep, stretching you, filling you. You were shaking like a leaf, thighs twitching and trembling, and you were completely unable to keep your cries to yourself. Even so, there was another hunger to feed, your months’ long fantasies getting the better of you. Leaning down once more, you let your hot tongue trace the line of his jugular. He stilled beneath you for just a moment, before thrusting up into you in earnest. How strange, and yet how thrilling, to be the one on top and yet have him take control. The sounds he was making were downright _sinful_ , his voice giving you a heady tingling sensation which danced down your spine and shoulders. He wasn’t going to hold out much longer. You could feel it in the way his thrusts became erratic, hear it in the way his breath shuddered.

“Yes...that’s it, come for me…” you panted, desperate. “Come inside me, make a mess of me.”

Those words made something in him snap, all but growling out your name as his hands gripped your hips.

Pleasure pooled white-hot in your gut, clawing into you without mercy as you were forced once more over the precipice. You almost missed him reaching his own release, warm and filling in your depths. And as the both of you panted for breath, sanity slowly creeping its way back in, V’s hand reached for yours, fingers entwining.

The sweetness of the gesture contrasted with how frantic the pace was, how utterly consumed you both had been, and it was almost enough to make you laugh. Instead, you could only collapse on top of your new lover, feeling him smile against your hair. Neither of you would be moving for a while, not looking forward to the cleanup and not wanting to part just yet.

Swiftly-approaching footsteps and a startled yelp had you sitting up slowly, cautiously. You froze completely when you noticed your new company, grateful you at least still had your top on. Your unexpected guest, however, let out an audible exclamation of disgust.

“Oh, come on, what the _fuck_?”

It was an exasperated Nero, covering his eyes with one hand, and punching him playfully in the arm was a cackling Nico.

“I told ya, I _told_ ya! Now pay up, pretty boy!”

They’d made a bet?

Somehow, you couldn’t bring yourself to care much, honestly. Why they’d returned, how long they had been there, and what bet had been made, you’d never really know. The pair descended into bickering, and you could feel V shaking with laughter beneath you.

“It appears our rehearsal was enough to garner an audience,” he teased.

“You’re right. Maybe we should give them an encore?”

That got their attention, both of them scattering between giggles and a harshly uttered “GOD no!”

Chuckling, you sat yourself up to fetch your shorts, thankful that you had sweat towels nearby to save you  trek all over the grounds in order to clean up. But before you could get far, V tugged on your hand, and it was only then that you realized he’d been holding it the entire time.

“Do you regret it?” he asked, his sultry voice now sounded scared, like you saying yes might cause something to break within him. Fortunately, your answer would do no such thing.

“My only regret is that we didn’t do this earlier,” you said.

The tension lifted from him like the weight of a blanket, and you found yourself stolen back down to the floor to lay with him. This experience was bound to become a story, a legend to surpass the pants-tripping incident. Might as well bask in it.

After all, the show must go on.

 

**~Fin~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's all she wrote! This was a fun little thing to write, and I thank you all for sticking around to read it. If you liked my work, consider checking out my other writing as well. As a side note, I also have a fairly new tumblr (I'm ghostmanatee there too!) where I post cross updates and other tidbits from time to time. Take care of yourselves!


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